With Arms Wide Open
by Amorye
Summary: Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live. DannyEmber, and a child.
1. Hello

**With Arms Wide Open**

Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live.

Yay, another DP fic! XD Thank Invader Johnny for giving me some ideas for this one, and for coaxing me to write something. My account's been dead since my last update of a Know Your Stars fic. Nyahaha. Partly because I'm insanely exhausted and because I'm insanely busy. Luckily, I have even _some_ time to read.

This isn't a sequel to It Went Like This, but is loosely based on it. It happened after their second time. So it's something of an alternate ending.

So this one's gonna be pretty dark. And I love dark.

I don't know about the tissues, but expect a lot of drama.

And again, Rated M for a fucking reason! Pun intended.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

A little boy was wandering the realms of the Ghost Zone aimlessly. 

He had no idea who he was, where he lived, who his parents were. All he knew was that he was lost. All he knew was that he had no one in his life. All the others left and never came back. He knew he was five years old. His name was Brent.

He had bright jade eyes that were so impossibly clear, that they looked like gems with a smooth black orb in them.

He had pale skin, like any ghost would. His hair was black, however, which was unusual for a ghost. Most of the ghosts here had flaming blue hair or green hair. He'd been harassed and made fun of over the years by a lot of passing ghosts. At first, he was scared. It took him some months to get used to being different from everyone else. But he eventually accepted his difference. He learned how to deal with slime balls like them. Ignore them, and if they mock you, retort back, and disappear.

He sighed. Being a young nomad was really pointless. He only got food from the jailhouse, where he regularly worked and maintained the equipment there.

The boy was a mechanical genius. He could fix virtually any machine set in front of him, and if he couldn't, he'd stay up the whole night till he understood how it worked. He wanted to build things, but he couldn't, as he lacked the money to even get his own tools, much less parts.

As of now, his main goal was to get past the damned Ghost Portals. Apparently, some genius created them about six years ago. And once he passed it, he'd try to steal some parts from the guy that made the portal. He shouldn't mind. Maybe he could even study what humans had to better understand what stuff were here.

And maybe, just maybe, he could find his parents. _Hopefully_.

"Hey, Brent. Get the fuck over here and fix my motor." called the smooth voice of Johnny 13. "A hundred."

Brent nodded simply and immediately got to work on the vehicle. About twenty minutes later, he finished, and was promptly handed the hundred.

"You know, you kinda remind me of one of these guys I used to fight back then. But we're kind of at a nothing-nothing relationship right now." said Johnny, as he studied the child's facial features. "Danny Phantom. Legendary half-ghost, half-human. Or simply the halfa." he said thoughtfully.

"Is that possible?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Where have you _been_? Ah, sorry." he said, slapping his head. "You're still a kid, so you probably never heard of him. But yeah, it is. He kind of gave up ghost hunting after his son died. But he got over it some two years ago and still does it. There's another halfa. Vlad Masters. Steer clear of him, though. He's not exactly the type to be messed with it. He was rumored to have killed Danny's son." he said.

"Where can I find this Danny Phantom?"

Johnny laughed. "Well, you ask pretty curious questions for a kid. Danny Phantom, he comes by every then and now. He's mostly in the human world. But stick around. He can come in at any time. See ya."

Johnny drove off towards Kitty's as the boy just stared after him.

Why hadn't he thought of asking around about people who looked like him before?

Suddenly, Brent wanted to get past that portal even more than he originally wanted.

* * *

_Raindrops kept pouring on my head. I relished the feeling of its' cold, angry streaks beat down on my body, just how I was feeling. Angry and tumultuous. Why hadn't I been careful enough? I put my future and his into even more perplexity than it was already._

_I'd just lost something precious. He told me that he or she didn't survive. I don't know why. I didn't even see what was my future. Neither did Danny._

_I don't know how I can face him after this. I was careful, I know I was, but he said I wasn't. I don't understand anything._

_I fell to my knees out of exhaust, succumbing to the rain, drowning out all the surroundings I had._

_The only thing I could lose now was him._

* * *

_Why hadn't I cared for her enough? I was too busy being selfish. And now, what we had was gone. I still love her with all my heart. I was young. I was stupid. I was careless. And I saw her, a tortured soul walking the streets of Amity Park alone, capitulated under the cold, harsh rain._

_I carried her home, tucked her under warm blankets, eagerly awaiting for her eyes to open, eager for an explanation for why she was gone for a week. I missed her ardently, thinking of her from the time I opened my eyes until I closed them._

_And seeing her waking, I couldn't take it anymore. I told her how much I loved her, and that I wanted to spend my whole lifetime and afterlife with her. I, however, only noticed the emotions she was hiding behind a sea of tears after I told her what I wanted to say._

_Something had gone wrong._

_When I asked her, she broke down in my arms, and I held on, holding her firmly yet gently. She was mine, and everything that was mine, I looked after. She was as fragile as a porcelain doll when she was hurt, but as sturdy as a rock when she was well. _

_And she gave me the grievous news recapitulated into two words._

He's gone.

_It struck me more than anything else had. _

_What was hers and mine, it was gone._

_Our child was dead._

* * *

After several days of absently floating around the Ghost Zone, Brent came upon a large, circular, green light that kept appearing and disappearing. Curious, he advanced towards it, and poked his hand through it. 

"Whoa!" he said, astonished at the sight of his hand disappearing through the hole. It closed again, and came back a minute later.

He shrugged.

"What've I got to lose?" he asked himself, and ventured into the light.

A moment later, he wasn't there anymore. He was somewhere else.

_Where am I?_

He turned around, hoping to find the mysterious light, but he didn't find it.

"Ugh." he said. "This is bad."

He was in a dark manor, old, but not stuffy. It was actually pretty clean, come to think of it. The funny thing was, nothing was glowing or even floating. It was just a Victorian-inspired room filled with books from floor to ceiling.

He floated around the room for a few more minutes, observing his new surroundings, and carefully noting each detail.

He shivered. It was cold. A large piece of paper with seven columns and five rows stared at him, baring the numbers one to twenty-nine under a large February. What was February? What were those numbers? He knew this, he did. But he couldn't quite place it, as he had been reading many books about the human world earlier in the week.

Hold on. He was in the _human_ world?

"Fucking hell. Who's there?" demanded a deep, angry voice. He jumped, and turned himself intangible.

"Who's there? I know someone's in here. Come out of your hiding place you bastard!" Brent rolled his eyes and phased through the wall.

"Agh!" he cried, as his eyes came in contact with the bright sunlight. He shielded his eyes, and squinted at the scene before him. It was unlike anything in the Ghost Zone. This was it. This _was_ the human world.

Welcome, Brent.

* * *

"Ember, don't worry about him any more." twenty-one year-old Danny said, hopefully trying to reassure his worry-and-grief-stricken wife. "Please. It wasn't your fault." 

"No, Danny. He's... here. I can feel it. He's dead. But he's somewhere here. Not like what Vlad told me... that he died after birth and disappeared." she replied, stirring the coffee in her mug. She took a long sip.

Danny sighed. He'd been married to her since he was sixteen, because he had gotten her pregnant with his child. She was seventeen years old. No one had known of their marriage except for Sam, Tucker, and Jazz until he revealed it to everyone else when he was eighteen years old. Ember needed support after her then-known miscarriage. She spent two years agonizing over it, but got over it. She and Danny became more careful with sex, as they learned the consequences the hard way. They'd decided that they weren't ready for children yet, but soon they would be.

Ember had had a dream about her son. He was calling her. "Mom. Mom." She'd been having the dreams for a few days already, but she hadn't bothered to tell Danny about them until the dream came again, only saying, "Mom, Mom. I'm here. Look for me... find me."

He gently massaged her shoulders. "Are you sure?"

She glared at him. "Don't you believe me?"

Danny sighed. "I believe you. But I want to make sure you're well. I want to search for him, Ember. I want him to know that we're here."

"I want him by me. It's always what I've wanted. To have children. With you." she said, kissing Danny's smooth cheek.

"Then I promise to find him." he said, kissing her back, only on the lips this time.

* * *

Okay, part one up. I don't know how long this is gonna be, because I'm best at doing one-shots, not multi-chapter stories. But I do love a good challenge. 

So what do you think? I'm kinda new at this, so any concrit would be helpful.

Review!


	2. Somebody New

**With Arms Wide Open**

Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live.

Whee. Thanks for the reviews. If you wanna suggest anything, feel free to review and PM me. I've made my email available too, if you want. There are a lot of options for contact.

Oh YES. If you find any nice DxE artworks on DeviantArt or somewhere else, email or IM me the link/s. I wanna write another DxE after this, so yeah.

So, here's the second chapter. Glad to know that there are also a lot of DxE fans out there! Yeahman!

Just so I don't have to write it anymore, all flashbacks are in _italics_.

And I am very sorry for not updating for um... 9 days. I got sick and had exams to finish. Gah.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

_Danny felt Ember getting up out of bed again. This was the second time it happened. Surely she wasn't sick. She was acting normal, but yesterday, she got up at the same time and went to the bathroom too. He didn't quite know what to make of it._

_Maybe it would be better to ask her in the morning. Erm, later in the morning. It was only 5 AM, such an ungodly hour. Besides, he wouldn't know what to say. He was still drowsy from all the homework he did. He didn't even remember how Ember snuck past all his parents' ghost gadgets._

_She was smart. He just had no idea how smart._

_Ergh. But now wasn't the time to think. He was brain dead._

_He closed his eyes and fell back into LaLa Land._

_When he opened his eyes, she was back. He snaked an arm around her and kissed her neck._

_"Wake up, sleepyhead. I gotta get to school."_

_To his surprise, her eyes flung open. "Can I stay here, Danny? Please?"_

_He raised an eyebrow and sat up on the bed. "Hey. Anything wrong, baby?"_

_She hid under the pillow. "Do you like kids?"_

_"Why? But yeah. I love 'em. Wish I had a baby brother." he said, lying facedown next to the pillow she was hiding under._

_"Well, expect one soon, baby pop." she said. "We're having one."_

_"What?" He pulled off the pillow._

_She sat up. "Seriously." she said. "I'm pregnant."_

_"Oh my God." he said, holding her hand. "Wow. This is amazing. I didn't know ghosts could have babies."_

_She smiled. "We can, dipstick. And after seeing that adorable little smile on your face, I couldn't have been happier about having one."_

_"But how? We used condoms last time, right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"I don't recall." she said, admittedly. "Guess we should've been more careful."_

_"Hmph. Yeah. But can you take one? You're only seventeen." he said._

_"I've always wanted this Danny. I can handle this." she said, firmly._

_"Well, it's up to you. But tell me, how's he or she going to turn out?"_

_"What do you mean?" _

_Danny shrugged. "Half ghost?"_

_She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. I don't know. Probably three-fourths a ghost."_

_Danny laughed. "Okay. I'll ask my parents if you can sleep here."_

_"Thanks dipstick." she said, smirking._

_A few minutes later, she heard a voice shouting._

_"THEY SAID YES!"_

_"Danny, she's up there already?" asked the voice she presumed was his mother._

_"Oops."_

_

* * *

_Wonder where I am now. The sky is blue and the clouds are white. The ground is green, and looks like tiny bits of green plastic stuck on the brown soil, that feels different to the touch. It's warm, not cold. I've been flying around here for some time already. I saw a sign I was in Wisconsin just some time ago. I haven't found out what that weird giant paper thing was though.

So, so far, I've gone through some changes of the stuff around me. There's a lot more of those houses. And a lot more of those moving vehicle things. I think they're cars or vans. I'm not sure. Maybe both. And trucks. I love trucks. They're large cars. I want to be able to drive these.

I don't know how far I travelled, but I know it's been a far distance. At the rate I was going, I could cross an entire state within an hour. Mainly because I was so excited about being somewhere where Walker couldn't catch me, or where that annoying little brat and his pirate would run into me and throw their stupid paint balloons on me.

I kind of missed Johnny though. He was like a big brother to me. Even if he was kind of mean sometimes, he always gave the most money to me. And he usually looked out for me. His girlfriend Kitty was also nice to me. I hated Desiree though. She kept bugging me for wishes, but I knew she'd give it to me at a personal cost, like me being hated or something. I dunno. I'm not ready for any kind of change.

Oh, look. Pizza! I wonder if they accept the money from the Ghost Zone here.

I went to look at what money people used. I peeked at the counter.

Wow. They used dollars too. Awesome. I'm hungry.

So I step inside and this guy stops me. He looks like someone from college, meaning he looked pretty young. He's got dark skin and wears thick black-rimmed glasses.

"Hello sir. Are you lost?"

"Nope. I'm here to buy food."

He looked skeptical. "Son, I think you're sick. You look a little pale to me."

"Yeah, cause I'm hungry." I replied. I think he looked more worried than hesitant.

"I'll get you one for free. You seriously look like you're going to faint at any moment."

"Really? Thanks." I said. He invited me to sit at one of the tables. I saw him talk to the manager. I think he worked there.

Cool. If people here are all like this towards nomads like me, I'll be insanely well-fed.

Moments later, he came back with a tray. So they probably had some made before ordering. It was pepperoni and cheese. Yum.

"Here you go, kid." he said, placing the tray on the table. "It's on me. Only $15, so eat up."

"Thanks." I said, pulling a slice. "Why'd you give one to me?"

He took a slice of his own. "Well, you kind of remind me of a good friend of mine. His name's Danny."

I raised an eyebrow. "Danny? As in Danny Phantom?"

He nodded. "How'd you know?"

"I heard about him being half-ghost and all. He's this hero right?"

"Yep." he said. "He's been so for 7 years already."

"Cool. Do you know where he is?"

"Well, I'm on the way to his house later. I wanna drop by and see how he's been doing because I barely see him anymore." he said. "Wanna come?"

"Really? Thanks, Mister...?"

He laughed. "Foley. Tucker Foley."

* * *

Haha. Sorry for being such a crappy author. Nyah. I'll try to have the next chapter up ASAP.

Review!


	3. Wait A Minute

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Yay for reviews!

**Invader Johnny**, sorry I'm too lazy to PM. Since I wanna do a quick update, yeah, they don't like it. XC Nyahaha. Cause what parent would? But they'll find out not now. Soon.

Okay. Here's the next installment.

Ooh, by the way, this is going to be one of the rarer weekends where I can actually rest. No homework, except for Tech/Home Ec. We need 20 care symbols as our homework. If you know some, e-mail me a link of the pics. Or describe to me or draw it for me on paint. I don't know what you want for it, but if I can get it (not money though!) XD I will get it. XDD So a favor for a favor.

Where was I? Right. Update. XD Sorry about the babble. XC

Just so you know, I'm putting all these flashbacks so that (hopefully) you can have some background of what's happening and better understand why it's happening.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

"Danny my boy." greeted his ever-optimistic father. Despite the starting-to-gray hairs and just-starting-to-appear wrinkles that made him look ages older, his personality was as wacky and Jack Fenton-ish as ever. That was one of the things he loved about his father. He was always someone you would be annoyed to be with because you saw him so frequently. But ever since moving out, he'd realized that he really missed his old man. The random shouts in the morning, the restless snoring, and the ever-famous, "Check out my/the new Fenton (insert gadget name here.) I have here!" every so often. Man. Nostalgia. 

"Sit, son. So tell me. How's your life? We miss having you back here, son. How's Ember?"

Wait, _that_ wasn't expected. That was actually more like Maddie than Jack.

Guess everyone _did_ change. Danny shrugged.

"She's okay. Pretty as ever." he said, smiling at the thought of her. "I've been so busy lately I couldn't cook. She always had breakfast ready for me. For some reason, it's always what I seem to want. That girl can read my mind."

Jack laughed. "Well, good to know. She's kind of like your mother."

"Really?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Match made in heaven, Danny. Although, she could use a little meat. She's always so pale."

"Well, that's her natural color. She's vegetarian like Sam, remember?"

"Ah, of course." he chuckled. "Have you ghost-proofed the room like I told you to?"

Danny laughed. "Yeah. I did."

"Good. I'm so weak I can't do it myself anymore." he said, letting out a raspy cough.

"Whoa." said Danny, tapping his father's back. "I'll get you some water."

"It's a bit of ecto-flu. Overexposure, that's all."

"I'll get some anyway." he said, strolling into the kitchen.

He took a glass and filled it three-fourths of the way. He was about to leave when he heard Maddie's light footsteps padding down the staircase.

"Mom?"

She almost jumped at the sight of him. She grinned widely. "Danny! Look at you. Handsomer and taller than I remember." she crooned.

Danny blushed. He loved his mom. She would give the best advice and would always know what to say.

He missed home more than he thought.

Maddie's hair hadn't grayed yet, really. She looked more like thirty years old, actually, instead of forty-nine. Hm, no wonder Vlad really liked her.

Come to think of it, it had been what, half a year since his last visit. Wow. Time flew by indeed. He'd just finished his first test at the top of his class. The revelation of his alter-ego really helped his performance at school as he was able to manage his time better. Teachers understood what he needed to do, and he proved his responsibility by picking up the necessary work his teachers provided for him.

"Maddie! I see you're up. Danny here just arrived." said Jack, as the mother and son walked into the spacious Fenton Works living room.

"I can see that, dear." she said, kissing his cheek. "Here's your water, and medicine."

"Thank you Maddie." he said, downing the medicine in one gulp.

Danny laughed. Never in a million years would he swallow a pill without water.

The phone rang.

"I'll get it." he said, and walked to the phone in the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Danny!" said a voice on the other side.

Danny raised an eyebrow. Who...?

"Answer, you dumbass!" The voice broke into laughter. "I kenz hir yooh."

"TUCK!" he exclaimed. He slapped his head. Tucker's Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonations were pathetic but you knew it was him. "Hey, man! How's it going?"

"Jesus, Danny. You didn't get me right away? That hurts man. Really."

"Sorry Tuck. It's been crazy."

Tucker laughed. "It's okay, man. To be honest, I barely recognized you too. Man. It's hard being in college God knows how many states away."

"I know." said Danny. "Have you been in touch with Sam recently?"

"Yeah. She's single, and doing great."

"Really? Have you heard that she's already shedding her goth image? Well, not completely. She still loves black, metal bands, and dark poems, but she's going to _parties_. I can't believe our little Sammy is growing up." he said.

Tucker laughed. "You made that sound so gay."

"Fuck off, Foley."

"Hah. But anyway, I can't believe it either. She detested parties until... last year?"

Danny laughed. "Yeah. But she did mention needs for drinks. Hopefully she hasn't been doing anything too kinky up there."

Tucker snorted. "You are not her older brother. If she wants to fool around, let her."

"I'll assume the role. I just don't want anything bad to happen to her."

"Right." said Tucker.

_"Mr. Foley? Can we go see him now? Please?"_

"In a while, Brent." Tucker whispered, covering the mouthpiece with his hand.

"Who was that?" asked Danny. "Your son? Why didn't you tell me you had one?"

"I'm not married, dummy! I met a kid who wants to meet you at the place where I'm working part-time for the month." he said. "You're home, right? By coincidence I got here last week. I called your, um, home with Ember but she said you were with your parents."

"Yup. I wonder why a kid wants to meet me."

"You're a hero, Danny. Listen, I gotta go, I might get caught by some officer talking on the phone. See ya!"

_Beep_.

Danny put down the handset.

Who was this kid Tucker picked up and why did he agree to bring him here?

"Mom, Dad, we're expecting someone." he said. "In a few minutes, I guess. Tuck's coming with some kid."

Maddie shrugged. "Go ahead. I trust you won't destroy the house? Your father and I are going out to see Jazz's awarding gig." she said. "I don't know why it's in the morning, but as they say, go with the flow."

"Uh, okay." he replied.

A loud rap on the door startled Danny. He opened the door, and there Tucker was. Same as ever, though he looked much older. Danny saw he built up some muscle.

"Wow Tuck. Looking great." said Danny, who eagerly embraced his best friend.

"You're not doing so bad yourself. Dude. You're way more ripped than I am. Ghost fighter or not." Tucker said, returning the embrace.

"So... where's...?" started Danny.

"Brent? Wait. Brent!" called Tucker.

Almost immediately, a small boy looking no older than six years old stepped into the living room, his curiously green eyes staring up at him.

Danny's eyes widened. "Dude, Brent looks like a ghost."

"I am." said Brent, simply.

"What the fuck?" Tucker mouthed to Danny.

Danny gave him the are-you-stupid-or-something glare. Tucker rolled his eyes.

"Come here." said Danny, who pointed to the couch. The child ran towards it as if he'd lived there since birth. Danny followed and sat beside the boy. He was surprised he wasn't jumping up and down on the bouncy couch like he did when he was ten or something.

"Hey Brent. I'm Danny. How'd you end up here, little guy?" he asked.

"I went through a large green light. Somewhere from Wisonsin." replied the boy. He picked up a magazine. "You study ghosts?"

"No..." said Danny. "Did you see anyone in Wisconsin?"

"No. There was a man who sounded very angry when I came in. I did not see who." said Brent, who put down the magazine. "You're the haffa that Johnny says."

"You know Johnny?"

"I fix motorcycle of Johnny. He's nice. Gives a lot of money."

Tucker stepped out of the room.

Danny laid a hand on Brent's shoulder. "Yes sir?" asked the boy.

"How did you get here, Brent?" he asked.

"Flying. Invisible. I flew from Wisconsin to this place. Where am I?" he asked.

"In Amity Park. I grew up here." he replied. "Who are your parents?"

"I do not know, sir."

"Please call me Danny, Brent." he said, impressed by the manners he had. "I want you to be comfortable talking to me."

"Comfortable?"

"Relaxed. Okay. All right." he said. "If you don't have parents, who took care of you?"

"I do not know, Danny. I do not remember much." he replied, poking at Danny's leg. "I have question for you too."

"Who is your dead son?"

Danny sighed. "I don't know, Brent. I--"

"Danny? One second?" asked Tucker.

Danny nodded. "Excuse me."

Brent nodded. He contented himself with a magazine with Jack and some of his inventions on the cover.

In the kitchen, Tucker sat down beside Danny on one of the dining chairs.

"Dude, you sure he's a ghost?" asked Tucker.

"Positive."

"Then why didn't your ghost sense go off?"

* * *

Yarr. Insanely short. But I'll make the next ASAP.

Darn it I better work on that homework.

Till then, review. :D


	4. Surprise, Suprise

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

G-O R-E-V-I-E-W-E-R-S!

LOL. Cheerleading. Hahaha.

Here's the next chapter. I was in a hugely poetic mood writing the flashback, so yeah. Hope you enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

_Underneath the moonlight, in the middle of a drunken stupor, two lovers lay intertwined with each other. A cold December that was one to remember. Cold and bleak, it was her heart, but knowing him changed her feelings about being the cold hearted princess she envisioned that she was. Tears of sadness, replaced with beaming smiles, smiles that erased every scowl formed on her pale face. _

_Laying on the cold, harsh winter snow was enough to send anyone home. Thus why no one was present with them._

_Exchanging words of love, whispered softly yet audibly, an experience only they could ever know. Indescribable feelings, that's what makes moments magical._

_Snowflakes falling, moonlight beaming. Clear was the night, stars infinite, the ground in a sheer blanket of glittering yet matted snow, a setting couldn't have been more appropriate for love so strong._

_Heat intensifying within every beat of her heart, the cold didn't matter. Her heart was once cold and it was melting like she was letting it go._

_The past is the past. We live in the present. Make the most out of it and love what it brings._

_Long, passionate kisses exchanged, leaving both sensuously breathless, like a real-life fairytale ending._

_But this was no fairytale, it was magic in real life. A match made in heaven, till death do they part. Half is dead, half is alive. It wasn't right. They didn't belong. All the contradictions to their love so strong._

_Tracing every inch of her slim, yet shapely body, he slowly went, memorizing the taste of what was now his. Sixteen long years of waiting destined him to this moment, the moment he would completely give himself to the most beautifully created being, dead or alive._

_Her seventeen years of pain and hardships gave her the most beautiful moment in her afterlife. Words could not describe what she was felt when they first touch. Their first kiss. And now this. Slowly, but surely, it was the best way to go. Things should never be rushed, love, above all._

_Finally, he arrived at what they both had been waiting for. He slid his tongue, flicking it gently. Every sound that came from her small mouth pleasured his senses. Heatedly, he kissed her again, and asked her again, if she was ready._

_She squeezed his hand and whispered those magically beautiful words once again._

_He squeezed her hand back, and he entered without question. She moaned, eyes sparkling lasciviously, making him move into her more. Wrapping her legs around him, she pulled him closer, driving them both to their breaking point, holding each other tightly, breathing deeply, sweating only on themselves, the snow almost dry underneath their bare flesh, moving together, like their bodies were meant to fit each others'. _

_"I love you."_

_The beauty of a moment can only be understood by the people that see it. Tastefully painless, purely passionate an sincere love, that was what beauty and magic is for two lovers. This one night, an angel was conceived. All the more beautiful it was._

* * *

"Chill, dude! I have no idea how the kid found your portal!"

"Johnny, I hope you perfectly understand that I was going through an experimental stage with my portal. Therefore, any beings that pass through could ruin it! Damn it Johnny!"

"I don't know how he found it, Masters. Leave me alone." he said, walking off to someone else he could talk to.

"Asshole." muttered Vlad. "Wait, Johnny!" He called.

"What?"

"Who was the kid that got through?"

"Brent. The kid that fixes stuff. Now I'll get going."

"Brent." repeated Vlad. He took a sip of the scotch he had. "Brent. Why do I feel like I know you?"

* * *

"Oh my God. You're right, Tuck. But why does he look so dead?" 

Tucker shrugged. "I don't know. I want to have him checked."

"No, Tucker. I want to keep him. I don't want anyone that doesn't have to be involved to be involved. I want to take care of him until he finds out who his parents are. He came from the Ghost Zone. I think he's dead. I know he is. But I don't understand why my ghost sense didn't work on him. I don't get it." said Danny, thoughtfully.

Tucker patted Danny's back. "Chill. Okay. I'll let you have him. If you need help, just call me. I'm here when you need me."

Danny sighed. "Thanks Tuck."

"Hey. I know Ember wants kids. Why not try practicing him until you guys are... you know. Ready."

Danny nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again Tuck."

"Well, I gotta go. I forgot to pick up my salary on the way out, and boss isn't waiting long. See ya."

"Bye." he called after him.

"Danny?"

Danny sat up. "Yes, Brent?"

"Where's Uncle Tucker going?" he asked.

"Pick up his salary. So, what do you wanna do? You can sleep over at my house." he said, smiling.

"Really?" His tiny eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. Amity Park people are very nice."

Danny laughed. "Well, not everyone. You got lucky that you ran into Uncle Tucker first."

He laughed. Danny playfully ruffled his hair. "You wanna watch TV?"

"Oh, do I! I've never watched anything in my whole entire life!" he exclaimed.

Danny cringed. "Five years without TV? You've gotta be kidding me."

* * *

"Ember, baby, I'm home." 

Ember looked up from her book. Ever since she'd married Danny, she had rediscovered her love for literature. Danny, being the sweetheart he was, bought a new one whenever he took Ember out.

"Danny." she said, in her still innocently flirtatious voice. "Oh, who's this?"

Danny smiled. "This is Brent. I think he got lost somehow, and ended up here. Lucky for him, he ran into Tucker, who brought him to me. I guess he wanted to meet me or something."

Ember smiled. "Really, now. I didn't know you had fans this young." She stood up, walking closer to the boy, who was currently surveying his surroundings.

"Ow, Ember. Ouch." He said, leading the little boy in. "He's easy to feed. Eats anything you serve him. And insanely disciplined, I may add."

"Really? Hello, Brent, how do you do?" She shook his hand. "I'm Ember."

He grasped firmly, but not tightly. "I fare well, thank you, my lady."

Ember grinned. "Daniel. You've got yourself competition for my attention. He is so adorable!"

Danny pouted. "Oh man."

Brent stuck out his tongue at him.

Ember laughed. "Okay, okay, little guy. How about we feed you something? Do you want anything?"

He tapped his chin. "I think I want some chicken soup. I heard it was always good."

"Wow, Brent. That's my favorite soup. How'd you know?" asked Danny.

He shrugged. "Can we play with that?" he asked, pointing to a still-disassembled airplane craft.

"Oh, um..." started Danny, but Brent already floated up and took it.

"It's a plane." he said, simply.

"Yeah." replied Danny. "You tell me when you need help."

"Okay."

Brent was completely into assembling the plane, while Danny observed from the couch. He read Reader's Digest, but occasionally looked up from the magazine to check that Brent wasn't hurting himself.

After ten minutes, he was nearly done. He was about to put the last piece, when a piece of plywood neatly cut the tip of his index finger.

"Ow!" he yelped.

Danny shot up the seat and checked the injury. He was expecting a bit of green fluid from the tip, but what he found shocked him.

* * *

Hmm. Wonder what. 

Reviews. Puh-lease? LOL.


	5. Family's Past

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Obvious, right? Cause what else can anything bleed? LOL.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

_Red blood. But why? How? Could he be human? Or a ghost with abnormally colored ectoplasm?_

"Oww, Danny. Don't press on the sides!"

Danny sighed. "We have to put pressure so it will stop bleeding." He explained, as he continued pressing the sides and wiping off the blood. He put an antiseptic, and applied an adhesive bandage to the wound.

"There we go, Brent. Just wait a few days and you'll be okay." he said, patting Brent's head.

"Okay, thanks." said Brent, who poked at the white bandage.

"Dinner's ready, boys!" called Ember a few rooms down.

"You heard her." said Danny, tossing the wrapper, tissue, and cotton that he used, into the garbage can. "Let's get us some of that soup. I'm starved."

The boy nodded eagerly.

The pair walked into the dining room. Ember was sitting at the polished Narra wood table, waiting for them. Danny seated Brent across Ember.

"Hey there boys." she said. "Oh, Brent. What happened to your finger?"

"The wood of the plane cut it, I think. He's fine." replied Danny, who poured each a glass of orange juice. He also placed three crackers on the side of each plate.

"Yeah, Danny made the blood go away." said Brent, who slurped on his soup. Danny shrugged, as if to say "He's still a kid." knowing Ember didn't like it when manners were broken. She just nodded in understanding.

"Wait, Danny, blood? How?" asked Ember, in a voice audible enough only for the two of them to hear.

"I don't know. I want to know. But this is... impossible. He's a ghost. He has to bleed ectoplasm, otherwise, he'd be human." whispered Danny.

"Why are you whispering?" asked Brent. "I can't hear you."

"Nothing, darling." said Ember. "We just wanted to."

He shrugged. "Can we turn on the TV?" he asked, gesturing towards the flat-screen plasma Sony.

"Sure." said Danny, who took the remote and pressed on the power button.

About ten minutes later, they all finished eating. Ember cleared the plates and started washing them, while Danny and Brent were left watching the television.

"Whoa, Brent, look at the time. It's 9 already. And I think you need to get some rest." said Danny, pointing to his watch. "Come on. Let's get you to bed."

Brent nodded. He pushed back the chair and followed Danny upstairs into the bathroom.

Danny opened a box and took out the toothbrush in it. He put some Colgate and gave it to Brent.

"Here, brush your teeth first."

Brent took the brush reluctantly. "How?" he asked, staring at the thick white paste.

Danny scratched his head. "Here. I'll help you." he said, taking the brush. "Okay, now. This is for cleaning your mouth. Here's how we do it. Up, down, up, down. Then the back teeth, under, and the tongue. Now, spit out the foam and swish the water in your mouth, and spit it out too."

After they were done, Danny packed away the brush.

"Cool. My mouth feels minty." said Brent.

Danny chuckled. "Well, good." he said. "Come on, let's get you to the room."

He led Brent several doors down the hall and flicked on the light in one of the three guest rooms. The room was spacious. It was wallpapered in baby blue, and gold fleur de lis, and half carpeted with royal blue on the polished rosewood floor. The queen-size bed was covered in blue and white blankets and comforters. There was a silver television on the wooden desk in front of the bed.

He turned on the air conditioner and turned on the timer as well.

"So, here's your room for now." said Danny. "Sleep in this bed. If you need anything, just call me. I'll be in the room across you."

He tucked Brent in, and said good night. He turned on the night light and turned off the ceiling lamp. Shutting the door softly, he walked back downstairs, where Ember had finished cleaning up.

He embraced her and kissed her cheek. "Hey."

She smiled, and turned her head towards him. "Hey there. How is he?"

"Doing good. Must be his first time sleeping in a bed, poor thing." said Danny, releasing her. He sat on the countertop. "I wonder if he's human."

"I don't know." replied Ember, who sat down beside him. "He's certainly mysterious. He just came out of nowhere."

"Yeah." said Danny. "If he was a wanderer in the Ghost Zone, I would've known since before."

"But you hardly go in there anymore. For some reason, the ghosts have been behaving pretty well ever since you saved everyone." she said, leaning her head on Danny's shoulder.

"Well, they _do_ owe me a debt of gratitude." he said. "Thankfully they decided that the best way to thank me was to behave. If not, I'd be going crazy balancing jobs and studies and ghost fighting."

"Danny, why can you not ignore a cry for help?" she asked.

"I don't know. I think I'm compelled to help people since I _was_ pretty helpless before." he laughed, tucking a strand of her hair back. "Hah. You must think I'm a _real_ goody-two-shoes now."

"But you're _my_ goody-two-shoes." she said, tweaking his nose.

"Ow! Don't do that!" he said, playfully punching her arm.

"Make me." she challenged.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now." he said.

She jumped off the counter, dashing upstairs towards the bedroom. Danny ran after her, tackling her into the bed, and starting another tickle fight.

Ember shrieked. "Okay, okay!" she laughed. "You win, you win!"

Just like kids.

Danny lay on top of her and whispered, "Then let's go and make me happy."

Or, _not_ like kids.

* * *

Vlad was able to fix the ghost portal. Unfortunately, he could not duplicate the experiment he was previously conducting. It was an experiment to test the machine he invented that was made to be able to tell what beings passed through the portal. 

"Damn it." he muttered. "I lost the blueprints too. Foolish, foolish man."

Over the years, Vlad only had himself to talk to. As it were, he was unwelcome in both dimensions of the universe for placing the world at ransom about seven years back. The ghosts were more forgiving, however, which he found completely ironic. They didn't talk to him, but didn't mug him or bother him when they saw him.

The last he and Danny had seen of each other was when Ember was giving birth.

He had been the only one that knew how to handle such a situation. Though, it was his first ghost-related pregnancy occurrence.

_Ring, ring._

_Vlad picked up the phone. This was bound to be another one of those dumb advertising things. Anyway, no one had called in weeks, or months, maybe. All Vlad knew was that it was best to stay hidden._

_"Hello?"_

_A husky, female voice answered him. "Get over here right now dipstick. I--" scream, "need some fucking help." _

_Beep._

_"What the hell?" said Vlad. "Ember in pain?"_

_Vlad was a villain. He was a cold-hearted, half-ghost, half-human villain. He was powerful. He was wealthy. He was despised. He was unloved. He was lonely. Every villain has a weakness. Every villain has mercy. But unlike many villains, Vlad knew how to care._

_"I'll be there." he said to himself, changing into ghost form, and teleporting himself to Danny's room._

_Several hours later, sixteen-year-old Danny Fenton walked into the room, and to his surprise, saw his former archnemesis, Vlad Masters/Plasmius, holding out a pale baby to him, with a grievous look on his face._

_"I'm sorry. He's dead." was all he could say, before he vanished with the child. _

That night was still embedded in his head. He could never forget the look on the face of his former arch nemesis, and object of his affection and hatred. A look of sorrow, sadness, and surprise. He never bothered to return to Amity Park. Daniel, meanwhile, never bothered to come up and reprimand him for even coming within ten meters of Ember, much more disappearing with his child.

Daniel had much to know. There were many secrets about his son. Vlad never knew what became of him though.

At least, he did.

Because, as it turned out, the experiment actually worked. There, on a monitor in front of him, Vlad found out _who_ Brent was. And he found out _what_ he was and who his parents were.

"My dear boy, this is not over yet. Your son will fall _back_ into my hands soon enough. He will be _mine_."

* * *

Sorry for being such a bad author for updating late. 

Review?


	6. Things Unknown

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Thank you for reviewing. XD

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

Vlad was a villain. He was a cold-hearted, half-ghost, half-human villain. He was powerful. He was wealthy. He was despised. He was unloved. He was lonely. Every villain has a weakness. Every villain has mercy. But unlike many villains, Vlad knew how to care. 

But unlike other villains, Vlad knew his limits.

Ember was one of them. Unknown to many, he had taken a liking towards her. Now, he was still unsure of his feelings. Yes, he loved Maddie dearly. He'd had many men _and_ women in his life, but no one was as unforgettable as Ember. Young and naïve, she was the not-so typical girl next door. Her eyes looked innocent, however, her trashy attitude and ways made men think there was more to her. She was one of the most beautiful ghosts you could ever lay eyes on. She turned heads and broke necks.

Drunk in a bar one night, alone, and courting and being courted, she had no loyalties. She was sixteen years into her afterlife, and her lucky courter was the impossible Danny Phantom, fifteen, and the ever famous or infamous, depending on who you ask, halfa.

Vlad approached her that night, and asked her if she wanted to make two hundred.

Any girl you'd ask would say yes. Smarter ones would ask, "Depends on what you want, pops." Ember, unfortunately, was not one of the smart ones at the time.

"Yeah, why the hell not? I can barely make a buck anywhere here... I'm living off with favors for people." she said, following the wealthy man into his portal, in his home. "Where are we going?"

"Into my lair." he said.

After following him in a maze of corridors, he finally opened the door and allowed her to enter. She stumbled onto the double or _triple_ king-sized bed, covered in luxurious black silk.

"Comfy?" he asked, shutting off most of the lights. He left several dim lights on, though. "I trust you will be, because I believe you will be staying for the whole night, my love."

Ember was still experiencing the effects of her drinking. The bartender gave her _four_ shots more than she originally asked for. For free. She let Vlad overpower her. After all, she knew it was men who were more dominant. She'd prevail over several of them, though.

He lay her down, and pulled down the straps of her black, off-shoulder top. He began kissing her roughly, pinning her down the bed with all his strength. She kissed back, too, and he released his weight on top of her. He pulled off her boots, and took off his shirt and shoes as well.

"You're in incredible shape, darling..." she said, giggling. She traced his muscular chest with her finger, leaving him even more turned on than before. He pulled off her black top, revealing her well-formed breasts.

"So are you, beautiful." he said, kissing her again, and moving his hands onto her chest. He squeezed one, and enjoyed hearing the moan of pleasure escape her lips. He reached down, and pulled off her leather pants in one swift motion. She wore a barely-there pink thong. "Lovely, darling, lovely." he said, between breaths.

Vlad took off his pants as well, leaving only their underwear between them.

Ember yanked off his boxers, exposing his already hard member. Vlad pulled down the thin string, and went inside of her.

"Oh my God!" she screamed.

"You're so tight, love. Allow me to loosen you up." he said, smirking. He pushed himself deeper and deeper, until he could not anymore. He loved it when women begged him. This woman, especially.

The next morning, Ember woke in an unfamiliar bed. Her eyes were greeted by the harshness of the morning sun, in her opinion and Sam's. She rubbed her eyes, thinking she must have passed out in some human's house after getting kicked out of the Ghost Zone or something. She arrived in front of a mirror.

And the sight alone scared her.

"Oh my God, what have I done?"

* * *

Later that night, Brent woke up, thirsty. Remembering Danny's instructions, he walked to the door across him and turned the knob, and pushed the door. 

"Danny? Can I have some-- aah!" the door opened, then shut quickly. Brent was awake, and Ember and Danny were in the middle of their lovemaking. "Whatever you're doing, I did _not_ want to see that. And I didn't see that. I think I'll go back to bed."

Ember and Danny just stared at each other.

They laughed.

"Okay, that was really weird. The poor boy had to witness something he's not supposed to see until he turns what, fourteen?" said Ember, who whacked Danny with a pillow.

Danny frowned. "He ruined the moment!" he growled, snuggling up to his wife. "Oh well, I suppose we _should_ have locked the door..."

"Dipstick." she said, slapping Danny's thigh. "Never assume."

"We've had sex on a rotating basis in almost everywhere in this house. Expect me to get used to it. We haven't had guests in ages." defended Danny. "Damnit. Bad timing, that's all."

"But this was a kid, and he didn't have to see us." laughed Ember. "Well, reality bites."

"Ember?"

"Yeah?"

"You think I should still attend to what he wants?" asked Danny.

"Are you _that_ clueless? Get down there and work, babypop!" she said, throwing Danny a pair of boxers, which he hastily put on.

Danny walked to the guest room and saw Brent, watching television.

"Hey there little guy. Needed something?" asked Danny, who sat down on the space on the bed beside him. "Sorry about that. Guess we were too in-the-moment."

"Like I said, I saw nothing." said Brent. He blushed, though. "I just wanted some water because I can't reach the glasses."

"Okay, no problem." said Danny. "I'll be back in a while. Just promise you won't tell anyone, because, well, my parents can go crazily embarrassing over things like that."

A few moments later, Danny returned with the water, and gave it to the boy.

"You know, Brent, it seems like I've known you forever." said Danny, who watched him from the doorway. "I don't know why, but you're like the little brother I'd never had and always wanted."

"Really?" he asked, after gulping down nearly half the glass. "Why do you want a younger brother, Danny?"

"Well, I don't know, Brent. I guess I didn't really like being the youngest in the family. I was always treated like a baby. I guess I wanted to be, well, superior to someone, and be able to take care of someone." said Danny, thoughtfully. He scratched his head. "No one's ever asked me that. Except Jazz, who always asks me _everything_ about me."

"Jazz?"

"My older sister." he replied. "Know-it-all, big pain in the neck, but I love her. I can't live with her, can't live without her. I miss her now, because I haven't seen much of her ever since she got this scholarship in Yale."

"Oh." said Brent. "Who are my parents? Do I have a sister too?"

"Well, Brent. I really don't know. But from now on, I'll be your brother. Ember, meanwhile, will be your sister. My parents will be your parents. Once you find your parents, I will remain only as your friend, and everyone else here." said Danny. "Understand?"

"Got it, Danny. Thank you." he said, embracing his "older brother."

"No problem, Brent." said Danny, smoothing his hair. "Just remember to knock before opening or trying to open a door."

* * *

"I'm going to stop at nothing, Daniel dear. You refused to be mine, I'm going to make him mine." said Vlad, who was preparing to travel. "I'll introduce myself to the little thing, and I'll convince him that I'm his father. The boy has enough potential to be my successor." 

"Little Brent _Masters_ will have to say goodbye to his companions." said Vlad, tucking in a fake birth certificate, several photographs, and money, if he needed it. He had aged enough for people not to easily recognize him. He claimed to be Vlad's brother, so the servants were still there.

The driver was already waiting in front of the doorsteps.

Vlad opened the door to the black Mercedes, and stepped inside, hauling his one Tommy Hilfiger trunk with him.

"Amity Park, Christian." said Vlad. "And take the short way to it."

The driver simply nodded, and proceeded to drive.

Several hours later, Vlad arrived in the Amity Peninsula Hotel. At two hundred dollars a night in a regular room, it was the best hotel in Amity Park. Knowing Vlad, he'd always pick the very best.

He stepped out of the car and walked to the front desk, where he reserved as _Richard_ Masters. It was his father's name, anyway, so who cared? Vlad called by any other name would just be the same.

* * *

Yeah, writer's block is over! For now at least. XD Hope you liked. 

Review?


	7. Heart to Heart

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Long chapter ahead. Well, a chapter that's longer than my regular 1,500 - 1,700 words.**  
**

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

"Danny! Good to see you!" said Sam, who'd hopped right off the train upon seeing Danny. She was on break, and back in Amity Park for the first time in a year. Her features were still the same, though looking slightly older, less gothic, and much brighter. Her raven hair grew past her shoulders, and her lilac eyes had the sparkle of happiness. Danny felt like he was looking at a whole new different person, because she was dressed in a short, lavender-colored summer dress on on top of a pair of black eyelet shorts, making her legs look even longer than it already was. 

"Sam!" he cried, embracing his best friend. He held her shoulders. "God, you look great. What've you been up to?"

"A lot, Danny, a lot. Life up in New York gets crazy." she said, picking up her black Kate Spade trunk. "Come on, let's head home. I'm sure mom and dad want to see me."

"And you've brought a whole new attitude, girl." said Danny. "Since when were you pumped up to see your parents?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. Danny laughed. "Not a completely new attitude, Danny. I just sorta miss them."

Danny chuckled. "Can't live with them, can't live without them."

Sam laughed, and slapped his shoulder. "True. Where's Tucker?"

"Oh, he needed to talk to his boss about his leave in a week. He needs to go to Florida to visit his sick aunt." he said, sighing. "I can't believe how fast time's been going. I wish I could stop it first."

Sam smiled. "Well, there's always Clockwork..."

Danny snorted. "No way, the guy's not gonna let me do that. Unless it's really important."

Sam laughed. "Well, time goes on. Life can't be added, so we gotta add life to time."

"Words of the wise, Sam. You haven't changed that much after all." he said, taking her arm and leading her out of the station. He pulled out his keys to his second-hand Mustang.

"Nice ride, Danny." she commented, running a finger on the hood. "Must be a lot of work to take care of one of these things."

"Yeah. Plenty of maintenance, but it's worth it. Ember loves the wind." he replied, opening the door for Sam. He entered the driver's side and turned the ignition.

"Oh, I see. How're things with her? Is she over..." she paused, knowing that the nature of the topic was quite touchy.

Danny nodded. "We've got a little kid over. But still, she's not completely over it, but she deals. I know she's been having nightmares lately, even though she doesn't tell me." he said, eyes focused on the road.

"How do you know?"

"I... don't know. There are just these things that I feel. Things I know about her that she doesn't tell me. I just know that something's bothering her." he said. Sam could see his eyes soften through the mirror. "I don't want to bring it up, because I don't know how she'll react."

"Danny." said Sam. "You have to. Otherwise, this won't work out. You two were wed at an absurd time. Things like that... they just don't work out until you're ready."

"I know that, Sam. But I love her. I may not be ready to father her children, but I am certain that I am ready to stand by her, no matter how bad things would ever get." he replied.

"Danny, watch out for yourself. Things aren't always what they seem." said Sam. Danny remained silent, but she knew he was troubled at what they were talking about. "Look, Danny, I'm sorry if I had to bring this up. But I really care for you. I just want to you be free from the pains of being in love. I know what it's like, and I don't want you to feel... broken." she said, her voice faltering at the last word.

"Sam, pain is inevitable." he said. "It's not like I haven't been broken up before. I have, Sam. I was hopelessly in love with you, until I found that we weren't meant to be. Nothing can hinder any pains to experience. It's a way to make yourself stronger in the future, no matter how weak we feel at the start."

"You're right, Danny." she replied, wiping a stray tear.

"Sam, don't cry." he said, handing her a Kleenex. "Things happen. And when they do, you just go along with it, and fix what you can when it's broken."

The pair remained silent as the rest of the ride progressed. Five minutes later, they arrived at the familiar doorstep of Sam's sprawling apartment. Danny turned off the engine, and stepped out. Her opened the door for Sam, and took her bags.

Danny paled. Something was very wrong. And he needed to head back home. _Now._

"You okay?" He nodded, and gave her her bags.

"Thanks, Danny." she said, pulling out her house keys. She fit the gold one into the lock and turned it. She pushed open the heavy wooden door, and stepped inside, Danny following suit.

"Mom, Dad? I'm home!" she called into the empty living room.

"Sammykins? Darling, is that you?" replied the perky voice of her mother. She stepped into the room, her auburn hair pinned into a loose bun, sporting a casual, artsy look. She was wearing a light blue blouse and black stretch pants. A little girl with ash blond hair and fair skin followed her, wearing a lavender dress. "Daniel, hello as well." He nodded, politely acknowledging her.

"Mom? And Rose." she said, walking towards her mother and sister. "Wow, nothing much changed here."

"Well, dear, we like to keep it nice." she said. She gestured to the couch. "Sit, Samantha. And Daniel, young man, thank you for assisting her. Have a seat too. We'll have Lilith serve some tea."

"Actually, Mrs. Manson, I'd like to head home right now. I have to go check up on my wife." he said.

"That's too bad. Thanks for stopping by." she said.

"My pleasure. Bye Sam. Bye Rose."

When he shut the door, Danny walked over to the car, and drove back home. The ride was uneventful, but upon returning home, he found Ember curled up on the couch, her eyes red, and her hands shaking.

"Ember!" cried Danny. He dropped his things, and ran over to her. "What's the matter?"

Fresh tears fell from her eyes. "You'll hate me." she sobbed.

"Baby, I could never." he assured, embracing her thin body. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

"Danny, this is really difficult." she said in between tears. "I don't know what to do."

He wiped away her tears. "I can't stand to see you in pain. I'll help you. I'll do anything."

She took a shaky breath. "Danny..."

"Ember, please."

"He's gone." she sobbed, breaking down into his arms.

"Who's gone?" he asked, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Brent, Danny. Brent. I don't know how. I left him to watch TV when I was taking a bath. I locked the doors and windows. I don't know what happened." she said, in between sobs. "I'm so _stupid!_ One chance, _one_ chance. I blew it. I let him slip right through my fingers. I can't believe how stupid I am. Danny, I'm sorry!"

Danny bit his now quivering lip. "It's okay. It's not your fault. I know it isn't." he said, trying not to cry for their sake. He had to be the strong one, no matter what.

She buried her face in his chest. "I don't see how you could _not_ hate me."

"I could _never._ No matter what." he said, firmly. "I promised you. I swear to you, and I dedicate to you all that I have. And I promise you that I will stand right by your side, forever and always until the day I_ die_."

"Danny... how can you do it? How can you give me everything, when I can't? How can you dedicate so much to me when I'd hurt you more times than I'd care to count? How can you be capable of so much giving, when all I'm doing is receiving?"

He brushed her messy hair from her face. "Ember, it's only because I love you. There aren't enough words to explain. I just do."

"Danny, I love you too."

He kissed her gently. Both of them needed it.

* * *

"So, Daddy. Where are we going?" 

"Back to your home, child. I'm sorry I couldn't find you before."

"That's okay. As long as I know you're my dad."

"Not a problem, child. And, in the near future, you will be ready to succeed. In my ways. And you will inherit what I have long worked for. I will train you in the ways I have trained myself. You will become powerful, son. Perhaps more powerful than I. You have much potential to be used."

"I don't know what that means, but okay. Can I have another cookie?"

"Fine. But not many. Once we arrive home, we begin training."

"What am I training for, exactly?"

"For what the future holds for you, son."

"And?"

He sighed. "Well, it's just for preparation. I want you to follow my footsteps."

"Okay."

Several miles later, the car arrived in Wisconsin. Brent had fallen asleep. Vlad nudged him.

"Wake up, son." he said. "You're home now, and this is where your life will begin."

Brent opened his eyes, and groggily sat up. He stepped out of the car, and Vlad led him into the house.

"Follow me." he commanded, leading Brent through the maze of corridors in his mansion's east wing. "This wing of the house is entirely yours, however, since you are still of a tender age, all rooms are off-limits, aside from your bed chambers, your lavatory, and, your library."

He pointed to a dark oak door with a crystal doorknob and a silver door frame. "This would be your sleeping chambers." He pushed open the door and led him inside.

The enormous, high-ceiling room was carpeted in maroon. The walls were covered by wooden panels, and the ceiling was painted pristine white. The heavy gold curtains were left down, and only revealed a sliver of light from outside. The king-sized bed was also covered in maroon, white, and cream bedsheets. A wooden door at the side led to the bathroom.

"Wow. This is big."

"Yes it is. You will get much more once you progress in training. Now, that door to the left is your lavatory. Follow me now, to go to your personal library." he said, leading him down the hall. He opened the dark oak door beside the old, non-working piano. The door's golden plaque read, "EAST MASTER'S LIBRARY."

The library was carpeted in moss green. There were many framed paintings and photographs on the green walls, with molded plasters on the sides. Books were everywhere, and a gold chandelier hung from the ceiling.

"This, again, is all yours. Since you will not have much to do when you're not training, I expect to find you here. I have decided to proceed with your training tomorrow. I expect you downstairs for dinner by seven-o-clock sharp. Get dressed in the clothing you will find in your chambers before proceeding to the dining hall. I will send up Michael to assist you. Now, I will proceed to my work." he said, stepping towards the door. "I'll see you later. And don't you even think about leaving. You have nowhere to go."

Brent just watched the door close.

He frowned. He wanted to go back to Danny and Ember. Sure, all these books were great, but he was so... uncaring. Cold. Where was the affection he'd felt from Danny and Ember? Somehow, they seemed more like family than his real father was.

But there wasn't anything he could do now. Danny was just a friend. Vlad, he said was his name, was his father. And as far as he knew, families lived together.

He sighed. He walked to one of the bookcases and stepped up the ladder. He climbed up and picked out a random book.

* * *

"What do you mean, he's gone?" exclaimed Tucker. "Oh my God, Danny. What the fucking hell happened?" 

"Shit, Tucker, didn't I make it clear enough? He's gone. Lost. Missing. All because I wasn't there for them!" yelled Danny.

"Danny, relax--"

"How can I relax? The boy I've been caring for for over a month is gone. And--"

"Why do you _care_ about him, anyway?" interrupted Tucker. "He's not related to you. Before he arrived, he was a complete _stranger._ He was a complete mystery. Why _should_ you care?"

Danny sighed. "Tuck, I care because I've never refused anyone who needed help."

"He never asked for your help. You voluntarily took him in." replied Tucker.

Sam sat across her two friends. She wasn't used to seeing them so stressed about anything. Sure, they had projects, studies, jobs and relationships to worry about, but this was so serious, she wouldn't have recognized them had she not known them her entire life.

"Tuck, Danny..." she started.

"I took him in because I knew something was different about him. Something was up. I had feelings that I know him or have known him. I couldn't push him away."

"What was different about him, then?"

"Since when were you such a nosybody?" asked Danny, frowning. He sipped some of his coffee.

"Since now. Dude, I want to help you out."

Danny sighed. "I felt... a connection. Like I've known him my whole life."

"Maybe he reminds you of someone in the past, Danny." suggested Sam, happy that Danny finally calmed down. "Maybe he reminds you of yourself."

"No Sam, he's nothing like me."

"Danny, there's enough time for you to uncover this mystery. Did you say he was a ghost?" asked Sam, biting into a vegetarian burger.

"I think he is. He looks like one and has powers. But the thing is, my ghost sense didn't go off, and when he accidentally cut himself, he bled blood. Not ectoplasm." he replied, watching Sam chew.

"He could be half-ghost, you know." said Tucker.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Hm, maybe he was a full ghost and got blasted by this portal thing he mentioned."

Sam smiled. "Well, you're getting somewhere."

Danny cracked a small smile, his first smile since receiving the news. "Yeah. All I need to do now is find him."

"Where's the portal he mentioned?" asked Tucker.

Danny shrugged. "I don't know. I think he mentioned it, but I must've forgotten about it."

"Well, try thinking tonight, Danny. It might come up." said Sam.

"I'll pay?" volunteered Tucker.

Danny and Sam nodded. "Then Sam, then me."

Tucker nodded. "Agreed."

After paying the bill, Danny drove Tucker home, while Sam accompanied him home. She wanted to see how Ember was doing, and hopefully, succeed in talking to her.

"Ember? Ember? Baby, I'm home." he said. "Sam, I'll go check upstairs. Go wait here first, all right?"

Sam nodded, and took a seat on the black leather couch.

Danny walked into their room, but Ember wasn't there. Instead, a folded piece of light blue paper stood on the night stand.

"Oh no, please don't tell me..." said Danny.

With shaking hands and a broken spirit, he took the folded note, and began to read the letter written in Ember's looping script.

_My dearest Danny,_

_I've set out to search for Brent myself. I feel that he's more than a guest here. I feel like he's the son I've lost so long ago._

_Just to let you know, and in case you've noticed, I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. And they were about me giving birth. I felt the pain of labor again and again, and it started the night when he arrived. In the nightmares, I'd feel the incredible pain. I was told he died, and I kept waking up in tears._

_As the days passed, Danny, in my nightmares, the child was not dead. And I saw him. Last night._

_I left him to watch TV in the den while I took a shower to clear my head and talk to him about it. Unfortunately, he had gone, or was taken. Nevertheless, I was terribly upset at wasting another chance. Have you ever felt that, my love, to be given a chance, then just throw it away? I felt so pathetic. When you told me all those things yesterday, it lit some hope in me. That's why I'd gone._

_Don't go after me. Wait for me as I have waited for you. This time, it is I that will give, and you who shall receive. _

_Danny, you've done so much for me. More than anyone has ever done. I couldn't have asked for more, because you gave everything I could have ever hoped for. You have made my afterlife so beautiful, that I wish I could be alive again and give you what a real wife can give you. I want you to feel the love I failed to reciprocate to you. And I intend to repay you by finding our son. Our living son._

**_I love you, Danny._**

_I could list one __million things that I love about you.  
But they would all come down to one.  
I could never live without you.  
The promises I've made, sometimes I don't keep.  
I sometimes wonder if you still believe  
That I truly love you. _

The note ended there, and Danny had sunk down to the floor, crying.

* * *

Here you go. I, personally, liked this chapter. Hope you did too. 

Review?


	8. In Hands of Good Friends

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._**  
**

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

Twenty-three year old Jasmine Fenton drove to Amity Park for her every-other-week visit from Washington, D.C.. Travel was a constant problem, due to the long hours on the road, but luckily she had this week off, starting today. The only thing she wanted right now were the familiar sights, sounds, and scents of Amity Park, her childhood _home_. 

It was incredible to know that everything was under control back there. So far, she hadn't heard any news from her family, except her mother telling her that Sam and Tucker came back into town. She missed everyone terribly, mostly her younger brother Danny.

He'd been quiet lately. Jazz knew her brother well enough to know that all was not well. Sisterly instinct told her that it was Ember who seemed to be bothering him. It had been years ever since their son or daughter had mysteriously died, and Vlad took him or her away right away, not bothering to give the parents at least a glance of their son.

Thankfully, it was the last anyone had seen of Vlad.

Danny, at his tender age of sixteen, was absolutely shaken with the whole incident. He'd promised to marry Ember, because he was the biological father of her child, and because it was the right thing to do. He, being the good guy, proposed immediately. But at the time of birth and death, they were only engaged. Neither was ready for marriage.

Danny's parents had no idea of what was going on. Maddie tried to ask Danny about any problems he was having, but he just smiled and insisted that he was perfectly all right, and that it was just the ghost hunting getting to him. Maddie _wasn't_ dense. Danny _was_ lying. And she knew it, because several years later, he'd confessed to everything that happened. He willed himself to be banished-- punished and treated lower than a son for deceiving them for years. He said that he would bring shame on their family.

Maddie, having a bottomless well of love for both of her children, refused to punish him. She said that it would be better for him to learn from his mistakes than punish him. So instead, she offered to help her son and his wife learn to work for a living. Danny was only starting college, but she found him some part-time jobs. Employers happily took Danny, as he _was_ the hero of the world.

Don't get me wrong. She was tough on Danny, and scolded him when he needed to be. She wanted him to learn how to become more independent. And independent he became. He was able find a good apartment, and supply Ember and himself more than enough of what they'd need.

Jazz was nearing the entrance to Amity Park. She sped up, but observed the speed limit, being the good citizen she was.

She eyed the familiar building Danny lived in. She decided her parents would be the best first stop.

She drove on for a few minutes, until the popular Fenton Works sign was seen, and the giant UFO slash OpCenter came into view. She pulled over, and turned off the ignition. It was eight in the evening, so most likely her parents were working on some more inventions and or experimenting. Either those, or they were resting up, sleeping, researching, or eating.

She knocked on the door.

"Aw, who am I kidding?" she said, as she pressed the doorbell. "Guess I've gotten so used to condominium units. Without doorbells."

In a few seconds, the door opened, and out came Maddie, still looking no older than forty-five.

"Jazz!" she exclaimed, embracing her daughter. "Well, look at you!"

"Oh, come on, mom. You're looking better and better each day." she said, embracing back her mother.

"Oh, Jazz." she said, motioning for her to come in. She sighed sadly. "It's been a while."

* * *

Five minutes passed. Then five turned to six, six turned to seven, seven turned to eight, eight turned to nine, and eventually, fifteen minutes had gone by since Danny had disappeared upstairs. Knowing something was wrong, she headed upstairs. 

She pushed open the door on the far end of the long hall. She presumed this was Danny's and Ember's, as she saw his shoes outside the door. She went inside, and saw a hard-faced, tear-stricken Danny seated on the floor, his back slumped against the wall, holding a piece of paper, obviously a letter. He didn't seem to notice her presence, but Sam knew he noticed, and that he was just thinking.

She seated herself on the vanity's chair. She wasn't going to ask Danny how he was. She knew that he was going to snap at any moment. She knew that Ember had run off, since it was the only logical explanation why Danny was angry, and that she wasn't there.

He kept his numbed gaze fixed onto the bed. Then, breaking the silence, he said,

"She's gone, Sam. And she doesn't want me to follow her."

"What? Why?"

"Just read this." he said, handing the letter over. There wasn't anything to hide. He had a son, and he didn't even know he existed. He didn't know why Vlad had helped them in Ember's labor. He didn't know why Vlad never fought him again. He didn't even see his son, when he was born and when he died. He didn't know--

His eyes flashed green. "_Vlad_." he growled, his voice practically spitting out venom from the word.

"Vlad?" Sam raised an eyebrow. She stopped reading, and pried her eyes away from the letter. "What's Vlad got to do with all of this, Danny? He's been gone for years. Why would he bother with you?"

Danny exhaled. "I have a feeling he took Brent. He helped Ember with her labor. I wasn't there when she was having her contractions. I arrived home with Vlad saying he was dead, and he just disappeared. I don't know why I never _bothered_ to follow him." he said, slapping himself. "I swear, I'm really stupid. Stupid doesn't begin to describe me."

Sam sighed. "Danny, you were wed and engaged at a _ridiculous_ age. You weren't ready for anything like this. You were still trying to figure out your life at that time. And you had things to balance at that point. School, emotions, ghost fighting, puberty, publicity, and secrecy of what happened. Don't blame yourself. I've never known you to act stupid out of spite."

"I just let him go. Why'd I believe him?"

"You weren't sure, Danny. All I know is, Ember is your _main_ priority. You took care of her right after she gave birth. You never left her side the following days to assure she was okay. Danny, as a person, that means a lot. It's the best thing a man can do for his family." she said.

Silence. Then, after a few moments, Danny spoke, guilt taking the place of the self-hate in his voice.

"I don't think _anything_ can amount to _forgetting_ his own son."

"Danny, you _never_ forgot him. You just didn't find him."

"But he found me. These things happen for a reason. There are a lot of truths I need to find. I need to know if I'm really his father. I need to know whether he's dead or alive. I need to know _why_ Vlad took him."

"So what're you going to do, Danny?"

"I'm going to follow her. I'd rather break a promise than lose her."

"How're you going to start? You have no idea where she is."

"It hasn't been any more than nine hours. She couldn't have gone any more than one state." he said. "I'll find her. Whatever it takes. I'm going to the Ghost Zone to ask around. Maybe someone knows where she's gone."

"Well, I'm going with you."

Danny looked at Sam. "No. Stay here. I want you to stay here and see if she, Vlad, or Brent comes back. I want you to keep an eye on things here."

Sam didn't object. If there was a time for argument, it wasn't now. If Danny had his heart set on something, he wasn't stopping until he got it. Besides, it would be best to let only a few people know. This couldn't appear on the news. This was personal.

"I'll go talk to my parents first." said Danny. "You want a ride home?"

* * *

Several miles and several days away, Ember, who had just arrived in Wisconsin, stepped off the train. Danny didn't know, but she had gotten zapped by the portal at his older house when she attempted the search in the Ghost Zone. Now, she had the ability to appear human, and several other powers which she gained from the portal. Amazing what advantages Jack Fenton had given to them. She now had black hair, clear, fair skin, but retained the bright emerald eyes she had possessed as a ghost. 

She turned several heads as she went out of the station. All she brought with her were the thousand five hundred dollars she'd kept for emergencies, three sets of clothes, and Danny's photograph.

She knew exactly where to go. The house was so large it was visible from the fucking train station. She hailed a cab, and was on her way on get _her_ son.

While on the way to the mansion, she was thinking out what might happen once she entered. Hopefully, she'd easily recognize Vlad and quickly get it over with. She hadn't seen him in years, and didn't know what he looked like now.

Ember didn't want to fight. She was strong. She practiced with her powers every so often in her house in the Ghost Zone. She spent time there improving on her powers. Sometimes, she and Danny would engage in friendly duels. So far, Danny won more, but that was okay. She'd been behind some of his nastiest bruises and insane muscle cramps and pains.

And she'd worked on getting her guitar to appear whenever she wanted it. It was great to have mastered, because it had always served as one of her best defense and offense powers.

As mentioned earlier, Ember first turned to the Ghost Zone to see if Brent was in there. She felt guilty about taking Danny's map, but it was for their good. She searched hundreds of places, and interviewed the hundreds of ghosts she'd known, but they hadn't a clue to the boy's whereabouts.

She ran into her old friends soon enough. Kitty, Johnny, Desiree, and Spectra were actually glad to see her.

_"McLain!" called the all-too familiar voice of Johnny 13. "How're you doing, girl? It's been weeks. What's with the long face? Dan-Dan getting on your nerves?"_

_She rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder playfully. "You made him sound so gay. Besides, he's' hardly ever gotten on my nerves." she replied. "And, it's Mrs. Fenton-slash-Phantom, creep."_

_He laughed. "I can never get used to that."_

_"So, where's Kitty?"_

_He scowled. "Girls' night out, girls' night in. She'll be back home in a couple of hours. Or days. I don't know. We've still got a lack of knowledge of space and time, y'know."_

_"Oh. Where are they?"_

_"Probably at Desiree's. You know she has the nicest pad, what with all them throw pillows and decor. Spectra's still creeps me out, and hardly anything does." he said, shuddering. "The place reeks of shadows and spirit shit. And those things always sneak up on you and play pranks or whisper in your ear or something."_

_She laughed._

_"So, what's up? You've barely been in here for some time."_

_"Well, I was taking care of this kid that came to Danny. Surprisingly, he was extremely easy to deal with. He was completely happy with everything we gave to him." she mused. "And he just came out of nowhere. And you know..." she said, trailing off wistfully._

_He rubbed her back soothingly. "What?"_

_"He's my son. I don't know where or how he grew up, but it seems to me he's much older than his age says so._ _And I wasn't there for him."_

_His expession clearly read, "You have a son?" but he nodded for her to continue._

_"I wanted to prove to Danny I could give him back everything, or at least something of what he's given me. Our son, he's been gone for far too long, and I wanted to repay him by finding him something only he and I share, but had never seen." she sighed. "I'm taking Brent home, no matter what it takes."_

_Johnny almost literally gasped. "Brent? Brent? Ember, for fuck's sake! Seriously?!"_

_Ember raised her eyebrow. "What does he have to do with you?"_

_He inhaled deeply. "He fixed motors, cars, machines, and heck, air conditioners for a fucking living here. He was a freaking genius. I get only him to fix mine, a hundred bucks each time. My God, you've got a freaking genius... and my hero as your son._

_

* * *

_Yarr. Craziness, yo. I can't wait for break. XD

Review?


	9. Household Help

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Hey there. Thanks for reviewing. Sorry for the late updates. XD I've been really busy lately and had a major case of writer's block, so yeah.

This chapter will contain some Ember-reflections. And this will be told from her point of view.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

I shook my head. It was hard to believe what child labor was like. Come to think of it, I hadn't thought about the issue much. I was aware of the issue, but I never bothered to look it up. I liked kids, I always had. Youngblood and I got along pretty well, though they were mostly bothering each other and playing pranks on each other. I didn't remember much of my human life. But I did know that it ended on a sad note. 

I didn't even know who my parents were. I didn't know who I was, what I was. I didn't know if I was a redhead, a blond, or a brunette. I didn't know where I was born. My death and pre-afterlife had erased all the good memories I'd had. I didn't remember anything but pain. That was why I was extremely bitter when it came to talks of the past. I'd written so many angst-ridden songs about the past I think I remembered. So far, only Danny had heard them. I'd played them for him one night. Our first anniversary as boyfriend-girlfriend.

My afterlife was much better than my life. That was for sure.

A ghost's afterlife begins, obviously, after the day they die. The first five to eight years were usually spent wandering around a part in the Ghost Zone that was not accessible by the free-roaming ghosts. This was why some ghosts only started appearing at certain times. In those years, they would either try to forget or recall their past lives. Then, they would have to decide if they could move on. If they were ready, they'd move on to the Maker or the Destroyer. If not, they'd spend two to five years in either the same part of the Ghost Zone trying to forget everything or in the human world as a restless spirit trying to recall memories and learn things about what they wanted to learn, or watch over the people they loved. Regardless of which path they chose, they'd forget about the years they spent trying to forget or remember the memories. But the memories, depending on which they chose, would either completely retain or just be forgotten.

Once they decided it was enough, again, they were presented the options of meeting the Maker or Destroyer, or staying in the Ghost Zone until their afterlife was over. It would be over once they give it up, or if they died again of things humans could die from, or got banished from it. Though they could age, they would remain ghosts until they wished to not be one anymore.

I had chosen to stay in the Ghost Zone, and I wasn't planning on giving up my afterlife anytime soon. Though I wished that I had opted to retain my memories. Maybe, at the moment I was to decide, I was too hurt to let them stay. Maybe thinking about even the happy memories, if there were any, made me so upset to the point where I just said yes to take them all away. Maybe, if this was all over, I could search for things about what and who I was when I was alive. Clockwork was always there, but most ghosts couldn't find his place, since it was too far to travel and since it kept changing locations. How he did it, I didn't know.

I could get Danny to talk to Clockwork, but I wasn't that desperate. I'd rather have done it myself. I was good in many ways, but I did have a lot of pride. Always remember that.

For now, I just had to have the right mindset. All the difficulties behind. Perhaps I could start anew. All the mistakes, with lessons learned from them, I'd keep them in mind. Let my own son be my hero as well. The one that changed my life as his father had done so. All I needed to focus on was getting Brent back. To finally be able to pay back Danny for everything he'd given me.

Danny. How was he? How would he react to my letter? Where was he? Would he follow me? Did he know that I had his map? Did he hate me? Or did his endless love prevail all the hate that could have been bestowed upon me?

It hurt to think he would hate me, but in truth, I deserved it. I had done some things, no, many things that I regretted to do. I'd done things behind his back, and I wished I didn't. But I was a ghost. Bitterness out of my unsolved problems while I was alive remained, even though I couldn't actually remember anything.

We had indeed proven that life and death could not separate two lovers, no matter who they were and what they were. But that could end now, because of me. I was the receiver in our relationship. I gave things, looked out for him, and did a lot. But it was Danny that took care of me more than I did for him.

Was he ever upset at me at any time? I don't know. He withheld things like that. He'd never tell me he was angry with me. Oh, if only I'd paid more attention to what he didn't say. Do I know him as well as I'd thought? More importantly, did he know me as well as I thought? Had he found out about what I'd done before? What I'd said about him in the past?

I've never felt intense guilt in my afterlife. This would be the first time. And I hate it. Don't get me wrong. I like that I can retain emotions. But this is one thing I want to let go of. But as I've learned, I can never have everything I want.

Oh, screw me. I'm so selfish. Maybe that's why things never work out. I care too much about my pathetic little self that I forget other people around me.

I'm nearing Vlad's right now. I know it's him. I know he took Brent. He was the first and last one to see him.

Note to self: do not fall for Vlad's tricks.

That man was a scoundrel. He'd deceived more people and ghosts than I cared to count. And the audacity of him to live on earth again! I hadn't an idea that he was still alive and back on earth, the very planet he had deceived back when Danny was fourteen, when his secret was discovered.

Enough. I admit, I've never thought about things like this much. But right now, I just couldn't help it.

I laid my back on the leather seat and stared out the window. There were many sites passing me by right there. But I was too occupied to appreciate them, but I did, because I never got out much from Amity. It was an urban setting, after all.

Again, I just wanted to fix my family. I just can't help but go in circles about this. Have you ever felt such? Trying to think of other thoughts, but then remembering what you want to forget? I wanted to mend the broken family we never knew we were. It was sad to know, or even accept the fact that we were one, but then again, the only way to deal with this was repair it. Now I understood why people could compare love to a mirror. You could compare it to a mirror, because what you see is what you get. But it's fragile. It easily breaks. So, if you're not careful, you could destroy it. Once it 's destroyed, it falls to pieces. Now then, you can fix it, since it can't pick itself up. You have to find the right places for each piece. Even though you do fix it, it still shows that it was destroyed once-- by the cracks that remain, and serve as a reminder that once you make a big mistake, nothing would ever be the same.

The driver woke me up after some time. I think I'd fallen asleep. I stepped out of the cab and paid the driver. I let him keep the change, since I didn't exactly want to carry any coins with me. He thanked me and I walked to the lobby of the hotel I'd reserved at. I chose the one nearest Vlad's, for obvious reasons. I checked in and left my things up in the room. I decided that I could use some coffee, so I went to the lounge and ordered a cup and a Danish croissant. I bought a newspaper as well, knowing I'd probably need something to do while waiting for the right moment or something.

I skimmed the editorials, the local news, sports, and read a few, but what caught my eye was in the jobs section.

_"WANTED: Household help. Cooking, cleaning, laundering, gardening. Female, preferably. Excellent pay. Find RICHARD MASTERS at the Dairy King's mansion."_

Excellent. This was the perfect opportunity for me to keep an eye on Brent and use my new ability, courtesy of Desiree and Spectra. And my guitar's insane amplification. I now had the much-needed ability to appear human. Perfect.

I finished my coffee and paid the bill. I walked out, and decided to go to Vlad's while walking. It was actually uneventful, so I was at least able to enjoy myself. The reason I decided to walk was because I wanted to look as naive and clueless as I could. Poor even. I was wearing simple clothes, so no problem there. I tied up my hair into a messy ponytail.

Vlad's gate was open, so I just walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. I took a step back and waited. The door opened a few seconds later, with an exhausted-looking butler in front of me.

"I hope you're here for the job, miss." he said.

I nodded. "Well, yes."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Well thank goodness. Isabelle quit last week. No wonder the chores hadn't been done. So I'd been very busy lately, carrying out my tasks in addition to hers. Please wait here, while I inform the good sir about you."

I nodded, and pretended to look around. Good sir was no way to put Vlad. But I don't think they knew it was him. I don't think they cared either, because most likely it was only for the money. Vlad paid his employees a ridiculous salary. At least for the ones in his home.

A few moments later, I felt a presence going down the stairs. It wasn't Vlad, however. It was Brent. I nearly gasped, but I controlled myself, and just stared at the collection of Green Bay Packers collection Vlad had.

I saw him eyeing me suspiciously.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice soft, but audible enough. I turned to him and noticed he had a few bruises on his arms and face.

"Oh, I'm the new household helper here. I think I'll have to be the one to take care of the house and you." I said.

"Oh okay." he said. "I like you. Everyone here is so old and won't tell me anything except to become better and bath's ready, food's ready..." He stuck out his tongue and shook his head. "It's boring."

"Well, Brent, I see you've met her." said the voice I hated, even upon hearing just the first sounds. And I saw the bastard himself, surveying me up and down. "Pretty, thin, and _young_. This is no job for you. But as we do need a hand, you have the job. I suppose you and Brent could use a little orientation. Who might you be?"

"Oh, I'm Brielle." I said, saying the first name I'd thought of. Brielle it was.

"Pleasure to have you, Brielle." he said, smirking at me. Bastard.

* * *

Here ya go. Might not be able to update for a while again. Exams. AGAIN. NO. 


	10. It Can Be Dangerous to Know

**With Arms Wide Open**

_Accepting the world with arms wide open isn't easy. Especially if you were dead before you could live._

Hey hey. I'm back with another chapter. Hope you like. This is based on Ember's and Danny's points of view. Sorry for the LATE update.

**DISCLAIMER**: Danny Phantom and all related aspects are under the ownership of Butch Hartman. All characters, places, and events not involved in the actual series are fictional. Any similarity to people, dead or alive, events, be it past, present, or future, and locations are pure coincidences. The author has clearly stated the ratings and content of the work of fiction before the work proper; therefore the author disclaims any responsibility of writing inappropriate content for a reader's age.

* * *

I felt the man's eyes on me as I cleared their plates. I don't know if they were of lust or of suspicion. So far, I hadn't blown my cover. Nor had I divulged my identity to Brent. I caught him looking at me as if he were suspecting me of something, but he didn't say anything about it. Sooner or later, Brent would find out. I needed him to trust me first. And make sure Vlad didn't suspect a thing.

I had been working there for only a week. The pay was, as promised, excellent. I was paid five hundred dollars a week. I never thought such a job could earn much, but this was Vlad Masters, and he was unpredictable.

That was why I was extremely careful to make sure that I was not identified by anything I owned. I kept Danny's photo on me at all times to make sure he was with me, even though he wasn't. I was homesick. I missed him terribly. But when I touched that photo, it calmed me like no other thing could. Danny was my life now. And Brent was a perfect addition to it. My first glance at him, and I see a mini me of Danny.

I was confused though, by what he actually was. Was he a ghost with human qualities? Or a human with ghost powers? Or a half ghost like his father? I wanted to know what happened those past years. And I wonder, too, why Danny had never consulted Clockwork about it. I suppose he was upset to think about it, and just wanted to move on, as I have. Moving on hurt, but we had to. Dwelling on the past would never do anything. It would be a waste of time once we think of it too much.

I put the plates in the dishwasher, while Vlad walked out of the room. My posture relaxed. Brent was inside, reading a book about early transport or something of the sort; I didn't know. Whatever it was, I'm sure it would be a foreign language to me. I wish I were a bit like Brent. I'm sure he had photographic memory. He could recite to me a poem he'd just read the day before, without looking at the copy. He didn't understand it, though, and couldn't pronounce a lot of the big words right, but he was a child. He was still learning.

Every day, from nine to eleven in the morning, he had home schooling. From eleven to twelve was his lunch break. Twelve to one was usually time with Vlad, play time, or garden exploration, or generally just free time. Then at one to four in the afternoon, he'd continue his schooling. Then after that, until six, was training with Vlad. Then, he had the rest of the time to do anything he pleased, as long as he didn't go against any of Vlad's rules. There weren't a lot, but they were strictly implemented. I didn't want to know what punishments Vlad gave, but he never beat Brent, as far as I knew. If ever he did get punished, Brent came to me and stayed at my room until his bedtime at nine. Usually, I'd bring him a treat or a toy. He was satisfied with these, and always left my room with a smile.

I finished fixing the place, and washed my hands. It was seven in the evening.

"Bee?" he called. He'd accustomed to calling me that. It was Danny's special nickname for me, which he rarely used now. But it was still special to me. He called me that because he didn't want to call me "Honey" at such a young age. I found it adorable that he wanted everything between us to be special. Besides, honey was sticky. And he said I wasn't clingy like that Paulina girl that worked at the Nasty Burger. I hated her. Period.

"Yes, Brent?"

"Do you know Ember?" he asked.

I froze. How on earth do you respond to that? I _was_ Ember. I didn't want to tell him yet. Not now, not _here._

"Well, uh, yeah." I said, absolutely unsure of what to say. I didn't ask why, because he might say something Vlad might hear. Vlad had pretty good ears.

I was not willing to take any chances.

"You want to watch TV?" I asked.

His face brightened, immediately forgetting the question he asked earlier. I think. "Okay." he said, following me up to my room.

I sat beside him, and clutched on to my wedding ring, which was also inside my pocket. I did _not _want Vlad to think I was married. It was both good and bad. Good, because he would not ask any questions about me or my (after) life. Bad, because in case he took an interest in me which I highly doubt and highly hoped not, I would seem to be available.

"So who is Ember to you?" he asked. Sigh. He hadn't forgotten.

"Brent. This isn't going to be easy." I said, carefully.

He frowned. "Why not?"

"I don't know if you're ready to face the truth."

"Who is she? I think I have a connecting thing with her. I don't know." he said. 

"She's your mother."

He turned to me, eyes wide, genuinely surprised. "She _is_?"

I nodded. "Yes. And Danny is your father."

"So you _are _my mommy." he said, looking at me, smirking. Oh my God. He knew. He was smarter than I'd thought.

"I-- I... you. How did you...?" I stammered, unsure of what to say.

"You look like her. I remember your eyes and your voice." he said. "So why follow me? You have Danny... um. _Daddy_." he said, smiling at the word.

"I wanted our family to be complete, sweetheart." I said, holding his hand. "Somehow, I felt like I'd already known you. Like an old friend."

"When are we going back?" he asked, looking eager to leave.

I sighed. "Not for a while, son. I have to find out a way to bring you out of here. Without Vlad knowing."

"Oh."

We sat in silence for the next hour and a half, comfortable in each others' presence. I was reading a magazine, which Vlad had had delivered, but never really read. So he allowed me to take them.

Brent stood up to leave.

"Bye, Mommy." he said, giving me a hug.

I smiled. "Brent, don't tell Vlad, okay?"

"Okay." he confirmed, nodding. "Good night."

He closed the door and I listened to his quick footsteps running to his wing of the house.

I lay down on my bed, and felt a shiver go up my spine. This was never a good feeling, because that meant something bad was going to happen. And every time I felt it, something bad _did _happen.

I had a strange feeling I was not alone.

I used my thermal vision to search the room. I saw nothing, but I felt something. Or was it just a bad feeling? I needed to be even more careful than I already was. Groaning, I just kept up with what I was doing.

* * *

Ember still hadn't returned. I missed her terribly, and she was only gone a week. It felt like she was gone for a month already. I couldn't focus on anything. I went to the University, to work, to the park, home... but nothing could get my mind off her and Brent. I was getting more and more restless as the days went by. Every day, I read the letter she wrote. She promised that she'd be back, and I believed her. But I just couldn't help but worry. I guess I was just scared of losing her the way I lost Sam.

Sam and I, we had a great relationship. I'd been in love with her ever since I could remember. But she moved away the next year after we became an item, and we just couldn't keep a long-distance relationship. I was upset for a long time. I missed her, and hung onto everything I had of her. I couldn't bear to go without her. There was something missing. The ghost fights were never the same without her. It was only me and Tucker left. I lost a lot of battles that time, but soon enough, I started winning, due to my frustration. I'd moved on. And when she came back, Ember and I were already courting, had gone to the third base, and were about to be considered as boyfriend-girlfriend. I was deeply in love with Ember, and I didn't feel the spark Sam and I had before. Things just weren't the same anymore. She had accepted this already, though it hurt her a lot.

I know she wouldn't go hooking up with other guys. Not now. I trust her. I know I can.

I finished my work, and walked to the place where I had seen Ember for the first time. Casper High. It was just the same as ever, only with a better coat of paint and a nicer garden. I walked to the spot on the road where she stood. She had actually scrawled her name across it when the road was being repaired. It was right there, and I smiled, as she wrote it back when I was fifteen. She was a hard-partying rockstar that enjoyed breaking and bending all the rules. She was a free spirit, spontaneous and impossible to read. You could never tell what she was thinking.

That was why I loved her so much. She was complicated. She was different from all the other girls. She was like many of them. Beautiful, smart, sexy, and talented. But she was wild and fearless. She was not afraid to get down and dirty for the sake of fun. She was funny, witty, and sarcastic. She liked to make random jokes and puns. I loved each one, even though some of them were ridiculously stupid and she knew it. I loved the pranks she used to pull on me. After that, usually we'd end up chasing each other like children. Or a tickle fight, which she usually won, or a play fight, which I usually won. We were sickly sweet to each other and fun-loving youth.

I sighed at the memories. Memories don't repeat, and that's what makes them so special.

One of the most unforgettable ones would be our first anniversary. She had actually organized an entire party without me knowing a thing about it. She was so good at playing things as if nothing was wrong. And she sang for me that night, several original compositions. She was amazingly beautiful, as always. But the one song I loved was this one song about/dedicated to me. She'd released this one as a single, since Tucker recorded her performance and posted it on his blog. A talent agent saw it and asked her if she'd want to record an album. She said she didn't want to yet. She agreed to release the single, though, and it made it to #1 in a matter of days. She was happy she'd succeeded, and said it was thanks to me. We made love the whole night, young as we were.

Christ. I was so lost in my thought I didn't hear my phone ringing. I fumbled around in my pocket for it and grabbed it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Danny? Hey, it's Jazz." said the voice on the other line. God, I sure missed Jazz. She was at home with mom and dad.

"Hey sis. How're you holding up?" I asked, leaning against a tree trunk. The cool night air blew against my face.

"Fine, thanks. Mom and Dad are okay too, and they say hi." she said, and laughed. "Okay, you. Has Ember returned yet?"

"Nah. I have a feeling it's going to take longer than a month for her to come back. Out of the God-knows-how-many people on earth, how could you expect to find a specific kid among them?" I sighed. "Well, I'm fine. I just really miss her."

"So when're you going after her, little bro?" she asked.

"I'll give her another day or two. I don't want to break her request, but I just want to make sure she's fine, and because I can't stand to go without her." I said, pushing myself from the tree trunk, and walking to Ember's signature.

"Oh, Danny. I swear. Ember is just so lucky to have you." she said. I could see her smiling. I touched Ember's signature.

"And I'm lucky to have her." he replied, staring at the night sky.

"Well, I'm coming over tomorrow. So's Sam and Tucker. I'm gonna bug you, while Sam and Tucker want to watch a movie with you."

"Just like good old times." I said, smiling.

Jazz laughed. "Just like old times. Hey, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow, bro. Bye! Love you."

"Love you too, sis." We both hung up.

I stood up, and looked at Casper High again. Man, I missed that place. I walked back home, to an empty house. I hated that. Whenever I'd come inside, I'd smell something that Ember was cooking at the moment, or something she cooked and left for me. And if she wasn't busy, she'd sneak up on me and ambush me with a hug, a kiss, or hop on my back. I missed that. I felt so miserable and depressed when I was home. It was never complete without her.

I made myself a sandwich, and ate it. I went up to bed, lay for a while, and brushed my teeth. I took a shower. And I slept. This was my routine that week. Pathetic, silly me.

After Sam, Tucker, and Jazz left the house the next day, I decided that it was time to go. Whatever it took, I was going to find her. I was going to prepare myself for anything that would happen.

After all, what _could _she get up to?

* * *

After Brent went to bed the next day, Ember herself prepared for bed. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. She dried her face, and stepped out into the room, when a large gloved hand pulled her close to him, muffling her speech.

"So it _is_ you. You thought you could sneak him away just like that, couldn't you? Well, Ember, know that I will not allow this to happen. I'm going to make sure you never get out of here. You and Brent." said Vlad. "You wouldn't dare leave."

She squirmed against his grip, attempting to escape, but his grip was too strong.

"You're not going to be leaving for a _long_ time."


End file.
